Electrum's Story
by HolySummons
Summary: Electrum was Earth's last chance at freedom against Megatron and his Decepticon army. This is a part of her story... Notes: AU, due to the fact that I do not follow any canon storyline, but I do take parts and snippets from canon storylines and keep them in my own story. Mainly influenced by the G1 cartoon and IDW's G1 comics ex-RID and MTMTE/Lost Light. UNDER MAJOR RENOVATION!
1. Aftermath

All she could do was stand completely still; she didn't even blink. The sight and the sounds from it nearly overloaded her circuits, feeling the myriad of lives in horror. She did not wish to remain there, but she was surrounded with no way to escape. And there was no_where_ to escape, as her whole world was now in shambles. In what one could only surmise as prayer, she held her servos clenched before her sparkling crystal chest. Shimmering tears streamed down her faceplate.

Electrum still was not sure if it was real or some dream. She was hoping it was a nightmare; soon she would open her overflowing optics and find out everything was okay, nothing to worry about.

With a thud to her back, the realization that it was not a dream stung her out of her stupor. "Go." It was Tesaurus, the largest member of the Decepticon Justice Division. The mech's voice was tinged with evil glee. She blinked as she stumbled forward from the force of the hit; she nearly smacked her helm upon the railing of the platform. Catching herself, she steadied on shaking peds. "Watch." The mech gave a low rumble in amusement as he waved outwards towards the onslaught. Her audio sensors could hear some whispers and chuckling coming from the other DJD members. She vented loudly, glaring toward Tesaurus, hissing with displeasure. He made a threatening step towards her, whirling his metal blades, in response.

Quickly looking away, Electrum observed that the cyber forming process of Earth was almost completed. All lives not lost through the violent process were being boarded upon the few cargo ships placed only a short distance away from the fortress she stood upon. She knew that they were now slaves; everything was lost. If those alive even made it to the ships it was no mercy. Witnessed to the inexorable might of the victors, the truth hit her hard. The Decepticons had won; and, she failed.

Everywhere there was blood and flesh. Nothing was sacred to the soldiers carrying out their judgments of who should live and who should die. They reveled in the process, no holds barred. Electrum thought she fully understood death, but with this display, it staring her right in the face… Dizzy, she was not sure what she knew anymore.

As she became overwhelmed, she began to sway and bend. Seething, the rage swirling her thoughts with wishes for revenge. There were more tears. She wanted to jump into the fray, do something to stop the killing, something to stop those who had no love for this world, except where it could fill their selfish desires. This wish nearly carried her over the edge, physically as much as mentally. It was not as if anyone would care. She stomped her heeled peds in frustration, clenched her denta, and squealed where she wished to scream. Her servos clenched tight into fists. Her normally aquamarine optics burned scarlet.

She would once again have to live with the feelings, and bring them inside of herself. Small wonder, Electrum began to think she was learning to enjoy it; how the energy generated by all her experiences had knowledge of her body, traveling it, hitting those spots with intensity – her heart, her mind.

Electrum's intake formed the most ugly of scowls upon her faceplate as everything came to a head. Her spark flared brightly in its crystal chamber upon her breast, her mind spinning wildly, her fists pounding against the railing, "No!" Finally a wail escaped her. She collapsed with a sob.

"Temper, temper, dear Electrum. Do show some restraint." Tarn, with his abilities to modulate his voice, commanded her. While she was trying to pull herself up, she instantly collapsed again at his song. He knelt down at her side. He stroked her cheek; and then, with some force, he yanked up her chin, trying to make her look at him. She averted her eyes at first, but he gave her helm a shake until she complied; his glowing optics filled with ominous warning. He then let go, rose, and proceeded to congratulate his group on work well done.

After some cycles of sitting erratically, staring out into nothingness, she regained her composure enough to stand, getting back some sense of balance. It was a slow process, but her helm was starting to settle, the dizziness going away. Primus' blessing, she was temporarily unable to hear all the noise about her. She slumped against the railing.

Again she asked herself why? She felt immense guilt and shame. The DJD rarely left survivors, so why were they prolonging this torment. Why should the Decepticons care if she ever saw the light of day again, if she saw Earth in any other way than what she remembered, and tried to protect?

Her thoughts turned to her teammates. Electrum tried to save her people, offering Tarn the allowance of singing to her as much as he wanted. Still, there was only so much pleasure that could be gained – wasn't there? Only after allowing their perverse games did Electrum find out the agreement was never kept. They slaughtered her group. Humans and Autobots alike met death at the machinations from the worst possible beings ever. She shouldn't have been shocked. She now saw how calculated it all was. Her team members' fates were only an addition to her agony; and, an addition to the agony of the entire Autobot cause. Tarn's voice echoed in her mind; his excuses swayed her to believe that it was all her fault.

More tears fell, more sobs threatened to explode from her. Putting a servo to her intake, she began to steady herself again. She did not wish to cry loudly, she feared it would set them off.

Electrum noticed one of the DJD members strolling emphatically towards her. It was Whiplash. The weakness that still held her body began to loosen its grasp, replaced by a slowly building energy rush in her gut. She straightened her posture.

"Isn't it beautiful, Electrum?" Whiplash's voice was disgustingly smooth and sweet.

Electrum did not answer, though her dermas slightly moved to form words. They were not coming to her, so she could only manage to stare at the femme with dimmed optics. She slowly shook her helm.

"Did we release the spark eater on you? Speak!" Whiplash's beautiful façade crumbled in a manner of only a few nanoseconds. Optics wide, body tense, she suddenly pointed out beyond the fortress' wall in a huff.

Electrum slowly closed her optics and turned her helm just enough to glimpse behind her. She did not look though, and she did not say a thing. She just held firm her disheartened posture.

Whiplash's temper skyrocketed at that point, "Nothing?"

"There's nothing to see." It was all she could formulate for the time.

Repeating herself, Whiplash snarled, "Nothing?"

"You destroyed it all." Electrum replied breathlessly.

Whiplash gave a sudden movement and backhanded her faceplate; pulling on an arm, she spun Electrum into a chokehold. Hissing into her audio sensor, "There _is_ nothing for _you_ anymore, _Autobot_!"

Whiplash chortled as her servo's nails turned into razor sharp blades. In an instant, the claw ripped through neck cables.

Electrum fell into darkness.


	2. Whiplash

"I want her alive!"

Whiplash spun around as the other DJD members came to attention.

Megatron made his way up to the group. "I want Electrum alive!"

Whiplash and the others bowed in reverence.

"My lord," Whiplash bowed in reverence.

Megatron walked over and bent down before Electrum's damaged form. He moved her helm a bit to observe the damage that Whiplash's claws had done. "It's a good thing you only cut her surface cables. Any deeper and you would have ruined everything."

Whiplash blushed in embarrassment, taking a look at Tarn, her spark mate. He only stood there, returning her stare. She studied the other DJD members, and then to Megatron. "I-I am sorry, my lord. May I ask what you have planned…?"

"Under different circumstances, I would applaud your handiwork, Whiplash." Megatron himself scooped up the unconscious Electrum and turned to walk away. "She is our bargaining chip. Undoubtedly, the Autobots will want her back. Shaking her helm, Whiplash didn't know what to make of the news that just filled her audio receptors. Electrum was an Autobot, and a fairly gained prisoner of war up until then. She was the last to be dispatched from a group who were against the Decepticon regime; and, since the battle she had been fighting had been lost, Whiplash determined it was time for her spark to expire.

She walked over to the DJD leader, "Tarn, do you know what all that was about?"

Tarn shook his helm, "I have no inkling of what he has planned." With that he held out his arm for Whiplash, almost as a pacification; she took it none-the-less, and the six of them walked into the fortress.

It bothered her. It bothered her how much that Tarn and the others seemed to be almost gentle with Electrum, like cats playing with their prey. Only there was never a deathblow; indeed, it was she who was ready to end it. And then, Megatron envisioned her to be part of the grand Decepticon design?

Whiplash lay on the berth she shared with Tarn; she couldn't recharge, having tried to relax enough to do so without luck. She turned her helm to see her mate charging with no problem. She lifted a hand intent on waking Tarn to talk her feelings out, pushing upon the large mech's frame.

"Hmmm, what?" Tarn rose partly despite his sleepy countenance.

"Tarn, what happened today?" Whiplash spoke as she looked up at the ceiling of their room.

"What do you mean?"

"Electrum," she started.

Tarn groaned. "Let it go, Whip." He nuzzled closer to her. "We will do our part as per Megatron's orders…"

"But that's just the thing! Even he doesn't want to just get rid of her! What else can she do? We've won! Why keep her around?"

Tarn didn't answer at first, having momentarily fallen back into recharge. When he came awake again, he began circling Whiplash's spark chamber with a digit. "I wouldn't worry about it." He nuzzled neck cables and gave her a small kiss.

She smiled at her mate's affection, but it didn't calm her.

It wasn't like the Decepticon Justice Division to allow a transgressor to live.


	3. Reveal

She was struggling to come to. Her mind was there, her processor active; she could not control her body straightaway. It was limp. Trapped inside her helm, Electrum began to wander in and out of stages of consciousness. What she considered dreams sated what immaterial took away. She saw visions of friends and family, and it comforted her immensely. She remembered times passed, missions and frivolity, and she was pleased. The serenity was enough to materialize in the physical, as her intake formed a gentle smile.

Electrum heard voices on the edge of her visions. She didn't know whether to follow them or not, as the realization of what had happened snatched her away from the happy feelings. She then remembered that Whiplash had lashed out at her, whipping claws against neck cables. This momentarily took away any motivation to follow the voices back to consciousness. While a moan escaped her intake, and for the first time in a few orbital-cycles her body actually moved, the joint between body and mind was still in repair.

"Electrum." Finally the light of consciousness won out. She heard a haughty voice call her forth. The voice became more intense every time her name was spoken. "Electrum!"

Her optics opened and her body began its check of systems and became partially online. Her vision was blurry at first, she couldn't tell who it was that called her. She blinked, which helped her vision slightly, though she still had no sight. "W-Who?"

"She's coming to; tell Lord Megatron."

When Electrum heard the name of the dreaded master of the Decepticons, she let out a whimper. Her optics pulsed once in recognition, and fear. That was all she could do in her present state.

"Don't worry, Electrum." Another voice came through to her, on the other side of her berth. "You'll be okay. You've been out for quite a while."

Electrum was still but she found she had greater control over her voice and intake. "M-Mansen?"

The voice belonged to a Decepticon medic who was usually in the employ of Lockdown, the bounty hunter. "Yes." His voice was gentle.

"H-How?"

"Lockdown sent me."

"W-Why?" Her breath was taken away with the news. Lockdown acted neutral, most of the time. She knew the bounty hunter from the past, and hence she knew his medic. But, the thought that Lockdown would care enough gave her pause, causing her cheeks to blush.

She could see movement now, blurry as it was, and saw that a figure took a seat next to her. She presumed it was Mansen, and now with some ability to move, turned her helm towards the figure.

"You rest up. We'll talk more later." With that the figure once again moved after patting her servos, which were placed on her upper abdomen.

She drifted back into deep sleep.

When Electrum opened her eyes the next time, her vision was as normal, clear and sharp. The weakness to her body was gone, and she felt as if she could face the day, oblivious to the fact that she was still deep in Decepticon territory. She did not fear with the presence of Mansen. She felt she was free, for once in many meta-cycles. Sitting up, she straddled the berth she was on. When she felt balanced, she kicked a leg over to the side and slipped off onto the floor, steady on her peds.

"You're up!" Mansen smiled widely with true gladness in his spark to see the female Autobot up and about. "You should be careful. Steady?"

For once, Electrum felt she could give a true smile. Making her way towards the medic, she reached out for him and embraced him.

"Electrum?" Mansen returned her hug with a bit of an awkward laugh.

Tears threatened to spill again. Electrum just answered, "For once, I am with someone who won't hurt me."

The answer made Mansen frown. He pushed her back a little to look her in the optics. He placed a servo on her cheek. "I will be here for as long as I can." He seemed to understand all Electrum had gone through; he'd seen things as a medic. He may be a Decepticon, but he was a caring bot at the same time. He did not like to see damage for damage's sake.

Electrum smiled a small smile. "Thank you," she whispered as she wiped the tears away.

Mansen then tensed up. "There is… something… you should know."

Electrum hummed inquisitively.

Mansen looked away, fidgeting with a tool on the table beside him. "Electrum, you're carrying."

She felt faint for a moment, as dread began to build inside of her. She didn't know what to feel for the news that she was to give birth again. She was more concerned as to who the father was – five sadistic bots, who… She touched her belly. Again, she blinked slowly. Then, she gave a short laugh.

Mansen looked at her quizzically.

"Of course!" She spat in dismay imbued with some amusement. "What luck!"

Mansen didn't answer. He began to polish another tool.

Electrum felt sick. She shook her helm and turned her back on the mech, walking back to her berth. She climbed on it, and situated herself on her stomach, then rolled onto her back. She was immersed in thought about the new life with in her.

In cycles, the medical bay's doors slid open to reveal the nightmarish posse plus their esteemed leader. Each of the members of the group looked at Electrum who was right before them; Megatron smiled a vicious smile filled with ideation, of which Electrum's thoughts only could construe as to what he had planned. The DJD were with him. Their expressions were of various levels of being bothered to have to be there.

Electrum wished she were still unconscious. Sitting up in fear, scooting over to the far edge of her berth. She was in complete reaction to the sudden appearance of guests.

Mansen noticed Electrum's movements, "watch out, Electrum!"

It was too late, as Electrum fell with a cry. With that, there was a female snort that Electrum instantly placed as Whiplash's reaction to the spectacle.

Mansen put down another tool that he was polishing, and quickly walked to offer a servo to the femme. She took it and rose, but refused to let go of it. Mansen, with the intellect and intuition to understand, allowed this with no fight, though he reacted to the clench. He addressed the group, "Lord Megatron."

"How's our guest doing?" He made his way over to the two.

Mansen answered for her, "she is doing fine." He patted the servo that held a death grip on his own.

Electrum herself, though frightened beyond her wits to a large degree, found herself muttering, "I'm not your guest."

"What was that?" Megatron stood with his hands behind his back; his eyes now situated a stare solely on Electrum.

Electrum was looking over the entire assemblage. She then moved her eyes only to Megatron, "I am a prisoner."

"Ah, yes," Megatron straightened.

Mansen spoke up before anything could be said between the two that would make the awkwardness grow. "Sir, how may we serve you?"

"I have just been made aware of the condition our guest," Megatron gave a more pointed look towards Electrum.

Electrum shot her optics wide, gasping. "You – you told Mega – " She growled at Mansen.

"Yes, per orders, he told me." Megatron interrupted.

Electrum looked away in shame.

"The very delicate condition of our guest calls for a more lenient approach." He held a hand out towards Electrum, while looking back at the members of the DJD who stood taut. "I don't think she would be very inclined to run away under the circumstance that the father stands before her."

At that moment, Whiplash gave a shocked whine. Electrum shot her gaze to see the femme snap her head to her teammates, her optics pleading that this was not true. Whiplash stormed before all of them. With another whine in pain, she shot out the door without saying a word.

Electrum was not sure whether to feel sorry for Whiplash. Her Tarn was amongst the perpetrators…

Megatron was smiling a small smile, while the members of the reprehensible Decepticon Justice Division were trying to hide their multitude of feelings towards the news that they were just given, as well as Whiplash's reaction.

After Megatron observed the room, he made the move to leave. Before he left, he stopped at the door, turned partly and ordered, "Electrum is to be watched at all times; but, give her free range of the area. I don't think she'll be up to any mischief if she knows what is good for her."


	4. Revenge

"I cannot believe you!" Whiplash screamed at her spark mate and teammates.

"Whip, please," Tarn began. No one else dared to bargain with her in this state.

"Don't even try it with me, Tarn!" She was pounding on everything that she could get her servos on; throwing any little thing that was loose enough to throw. "I cannot believe you would all – I mean, I know she's – But really!?"

"Whiplash!" Tarn finally had enough of his mate's temper tantrum. Though he understood all too well she had the right. When Whiplash was this mad, it made any mech standing quake in his armor.

"And now she's…" Whiplash looked sick, eyeing each and every one of them. "She's… And it's yours…" She trailed off, covering her intake. She allowed her tears to fall.

No one was comfortable with those words. The five mechs only hung their heads, staying silent; glancing sideways at each other. Even Tarn, for being their leader, was unable to speak. He was especially downtrodden with the news that Electrum had sparked.

"Perhaps she'll terminate…?" Kaon spoke. The others looked at him, and some chatter began between Helex and Tesarus.

"She won't." Tarn shook his helm. "I am sure she is not the kind of femme to do such a thing."

"Perhaps she could be… persuaded?" Whiplash piped up with a bit of turn in mood.

No one spoke. It was a touchy subject, let alone about the mother of the issue; in truth, no one wished to think that such a way that might get him out of this situation. No, not even the mighty and merciless DJD.

Whiplash sat on the edge of a console. She shook her helm. "You're alone tonight, Tarn. In fact, you're alone for a good long while. All of you, I can't stand to see you."

Tarn lifted his helm. He took two steps slowly towards his spark mate. He said nothing, but held his servos out to her.

"No. Don't." Whiplash didn't even look at him. "You didn't think of me when you…" She held up a servo, her claws fully formed in her anger.

"I love you, Whip." Tarn trailed off.

Whiplash straightened her back but looked away from him. She didn't say anything.

"What can I do to make this up to you?" Tarn pleaded as the others left him. It had now become intensely personal between his spark mate and himself. He wished to make things right again.

When Whiplash finally turned to look upon Tarn, she had an idea in her processor. Her tear stained cheeks belied the upturned dermas.

"So…" On their berth, Whiplash circled Tarn's spark chamber with a digit. Tarn gave a chuckle at the same time Whiplash giggled. "How was that?"


	5. Deadlock

"N-No…" Electrum was back in her cell. "S-Stop, please." Her whispers and moans went unanswered. She rolled on her berth. "No!" Nightmares involving her rape at the hands of the Decepticon Justice Division once again jolted her awake. It was a reoccurring thing, she couldn't shake it. She figured she would forever be haunted, now more than ever due to the sparkling within her.

Sitting up, she brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them with her arms, rocking. She tried to steady her senses, comfort herself in whatever small way she could. Again the thoughts of why she was there, and what she was being kept for threatened to consume her. Rolling to servos and knees, she crawled towards the small window.

She considered herself blessed with the little hole. She could see out to the earth and sky beyond. It was another generosity that perhaps the Decepticons didn't think through fully when they stashed her there. The sky was dark, and stars twinkled, before a searchlight shined right on her. Temporarily blinded, she instinctively brought her arm up to shield herself from the intense beam. She heard a bit of laugh, knowing that the deed was done on purpose; also, that they could see right onto her berth at any time during the night, as they pleased. At this point, most things were not surprising anymore.

When her sight was back, she pushed herself onto her heeled peds. She took a few steps to the door. There was a button to control the door inside her cell; she noticed that it was lit green. "Green usually means go," she mused to herself. Pressing the button, she was amazed to see that it worked, and the door to the cell slid open bottom to top. The bars that consisted the second door also slid open, right to left.

Remembering Megatron's warning, she knew that "free" was at the discretion of the Decepticons – more specifically the Decepticon Justice Division, whom the fortress was now the Earth-bound main base of operations. "A new Decepticon world." Electrum muttered to herself in disgust. She didn't trust Megatron as much as she could get away with destroying him, so she didn't honestly believe that she would be allowed free range, as he said.

Before she realized it, the door came closing back on her. "No!" She yelled, pressing the button again multiple times. She realized her freedom, and she wasn't going to lose it. When the doors completely closed, they opened again in response to her incessant button mashing; she sighed with relief. This time, she didn't waste time, and stepped out delicately. She looked around her in the hallway, and saw that there were cameras everywhere, one to each cell door. No alarms, though.

Suddenly a drone came around the far corner. It seemingly paid her no mind as it rolled on down the hall towards her, and then made its way continuing to the other end of the hallway to turn the other corner, right passed her. Perhaps Megatron was honorable in his word, this time. Perhaps she was indeed free – as long as she didn't stray too much. Whatever it was, she would give it a try, feeling the need to wander.

If she could get outside, she felt she would be refreshed.

Making her way through the fortress was going to have to be done in trial and error. She had only been led through the winding passageways once, when shown the utter destruction the Decepticons had wrought Earth. Before that, she was imprisoned, in another area, or cell, she didn't know. Any time in between was spent unconscious in the medic bay.

It was surprising that no one was in the halls. No alarms were tripped, even though there were drones and cameras everywhere. Electrum stayed calm as she passed each and every one. She was free to roam, and she was going to use Megatron's words against him if it came down to it. She had to backtrack a few times, when she found a dead end or she was led away from the windows. If only there was someone she could trust to steer her in the right direction.

"My lady?" A familiar voice sounded behind her. When Electrum heard it, she instantly was kicked in the gut with the memory of a soldier dear and lost.

"Drift…?" She whispered.

"Deadlock." The mech made his way up to her slowly. He placed his drawn sword back into its holster.

Electrum had tears now. She stamped a ped. Shaking her helm, she spoke, "what do you want?"

"I was just going to ask you the same."

She turned around to face the mech. Once a Decepticon, always a Decepticon, she figured. While he still spoke of her with a sense of honor, she could not do the same of him. Deadlock, once Drift, returned to the Decepticons under circumstances unknown to anyone in the Autobot ranks; she knew him as Drift, she knew he had left the Decepticons once, but she never thought he'd be one to return to them. She believed him when he spoke about wanting better, believing in better – all for what, now? What was better? She could not guess what it meant for him. "I'm going outside. I can't stand it anymore. I need fresh air. Megatron's orders were for me to be allowed free range. If you –!"

Deadlock put his digits to her dermas. "No one is going to stop you. We've all gotten the order."

"Why are you so nice to me? We're enemies now!"

Deadlock said nothing, only looked away for a moment.

"If I can find the way outside!"

"Shhhhhh!" Deadlock warned her, making her aware of the presence of others in rooms beyond their location. "I'll take you."

The night was as beautiful as she thought it was from her window. The lights of the fortress did not hide the clarity of the sky, and thankfully the searchlights were off now, though the guards still sat in the seats that controlled the lights and the armory. The Milky Way glittered and shone in all its glory. Electrum vented deeply in the clear air.

When she took her eyes off of the sky, she was faced with what had happened to the land. It was barely green anymore, metallic and blue-grey like Cybertron. While she loved Cybertron, she had also fallen in love with the Earth's various flora and fauna; still, there were some patches of green, there were still some indigenous plant lives still allowed to flourish even close by the fortress. She was deeply saddened by the turn of events.

"What do you really think, Electrum?" Deadlock sat on a bench away from her.

"I hate it." She wiped away a single tear. "This isn't how it was supposed to be. You Decepticons were never supposed to gain Earth."

Silence, at first, then Deadlock spoke, "Megatron became obsessed with this world since he learned how intertwined with Cybertron it was."

Ore to make powerful energon: that was the first thing to make Megatron dig his peds into the ground. Megatron wished to utilize these power sources to further his agendas of cosmic wide conquest. It was just too perfect to give up. Electrum knew it all. "He became obsessed with it when he learned it could serve his purposes."

Again, silence fell. Electrum moved her eyes back to the sky. "Will I ever see home again?"

"I thought this was your home?" Deadlock teased.

Electrum stared out into nothingness, her head cocked to the side, the sadness enveloping her. "No. Not anymore. It's all gone." She wondered how many times she would have to say those words. She wondered how many times her spark would break.

Deadlock silently came to her side. "Hey, there's something I want to show you."

"Now?"

"I may not get a chance to show you for a while."

Electrum gave a small smile and a nod.

Taking the lead, Deadlock led Electrum down the outer wall of the base and out onto the ground. "Down there a ways, you may remember it."

After a few minutes of walking, Electrum spied what it was that Deadlock wished to show her. It was her one of her most favorite spots before the Decepticon Justice Division infiltrated her base…

There was the glistening pond behind a small cliff, one place that had not been cyber formed! Some bushes and a few trees created a grotto. This area had been Electrum's special place, as her base used to be nearby. When the times were peaceful, she would steal away to take in the beauty of the Earth around her; when times were stressful, the wildlife had a calming effect on her. "I wonder why this is still here?"

"I don't know." Deadlock knew this was Electrum's special place since he was known as Drift, and an Autobot.

Electrum sat on the edge of the cliff, allowing her legs to dangle into the pool below. She kicked her legs gently back and forth, watching the ripples travel throughout the breadth of the pond. "Thank you." She was smiling as the feelings of serenity the place brought returned to her.

"I thought you'd like it." Deadlock knelt down beside her, a sword out for protection from any possible threat and also to sturdy himself.

Silence fell between the two for the moment as they both took in the sights around them. The cool air and clear sky was a beacon of hope amongst the cold steel that seemed so unfitting to this landscape.

Electrum felt at peace, even amongst the Decepticon Deadlock. "When I had my base, I would come here. Sometimes, I would sing and dance."

"I know."

"How?"

"You forget that the DJD had their spy on you at all times, inside your base, outside your base." Deadlock looked at her seriously.

Electrum frowned. "Why did you return to them?"

"My lady," Deadlock stood up. "That's is none of your concern." The air changed with his demeanor. Electrum suddenly felt a chill instead of refreshment.

"Dance with me." She was trying to change the atmosphere back to the pleasantry it had just been.

"What?"

"Dance with me." She hopped down into the water, which came up to her knees. She walked a little towards the far shore before turning around and facing Deadlock with her servos behind her back. She gave him a smile, all the while blushing. "Please don't make me beg. Dance with me."

"I never…"

"I can teach you. Please, for me?"

Putting his sword away, Deadlock hopped down into the waters below. He walked towards Electrum. She took his hand and led him towards the shore.

With a song in her heart and her step, she hummed a tune and shortly they were waltzing in the night.

"Thank you Drift…" Electrum lay beside Deadlock, sleepy in her need to recharge. She snuggled close to him.

"Deadlock." He corrected her. Though, he didn't move or try to situate her. He lay there by the pond with Electrum by his side. His legs were crossed, arms behind his head.

"I'm sorry, Deadlock." She was unhappy that he corrected her; hoping that he would somehow respond more positively to her.

"Don't mistake me, Electrum," he started. "I am not swayed by you. Still, I like dancing. Thank you for teaching me."

Electrum smiled with tears in her closed optics. "Anytime," she replied before she fell into recharge.


	6. The Day After

The clearness of the Earth's sky allowed every star to shine down upon Deadlock and Electrum. Deadlock found it hard to recharge, though he stayed as still as possible for the femme beside him, at first. His mood didn't improve, though.

Filled with the things that made most of his inner turmoil, that led him back to the Decepticons, that caused the same femme tears… He tried but could not shake it. Even he didn't know his own intentions, now that he thought about them; bringing her out here, allowing her what was probably to be her last reminder of what once she had…

After a time, he decided to leave her side, before there was concern back on the base as to his whereabouts. Truthfully, he should have woken the slumbering femme and bid her to return with him, but he just didn't have the spark for it. He knew that leaving her alone could also cause her to contemplate escape, but that too was improbable. Where could she go now? No Autobot had come for her; the Earth was now fully transformed and guarded from all avenues, that she would be up against her own.

Deadlock's disappearance was not without prying eyes, though; and the time he was gone with his ward for the night had not gone unrecorded. When he saw the small swarm of guards on his shift come towards him, he gave a heavy sigh.

"Deadlock!" The guards deemed it appropriate to inquire a superior officer about his choice of action and company. "Where is the prisoner?"

"Don't worry about her." Deadlock gave a look behind him, in the direction he had just walked. "We have her spark signal." He shot a warning glare to them and then walked on. Inside, he hoped that it would be enough to keep their intakes shut.

It was a few hours until Electrum woke up. The morning sun warmed Electrum's circuits as she stretched herself out upon the ground. A moan came from her intake as her optics began to open slowly. At once she was startled that she was alone; then it all came back to her. She gave a heave, with her legs spread before her, looking left and right, the confusion from the fog of recharge now quickly dissipating.

She was alone for as far as she could see. She must have been in a deep recharge, uninterrupted by the one she slept so close to the night previous. It was quiet, except for the chirping of some far away birds perched on the few trees and bushes that were left in this patch of unaltered earth.

Drawing her legs close, she grasped her servos around her knees, pulling and pushing herself into a huddle. She would no longer be able to come here for peace and for comfort. Why the Decepticons had even left this area, she still was perplexed by the thought. She dared to think if it could have been a gift. Only Megatron would know, and she didn't think she had the courage right then to inquire him personally. Sitting there, the memories threatened to flood her processor again. She shook her helm slowly.

She lived those feelings last evening, but they came again anyway. She would have to accept things as they were, and that the Earth was no more. Not even with this area that survived the cyber-forming, filled with memories. Not even though the mountains still rose in the west. Not even though the lake beside her still filled with clean, clear water. There was nothing that would bring back what was taken from her, and what she failed to protect.

Thoughts then traveled to the reasons why no one had tried to rescue her, let alone contact her. Only Lockdown, a Decepticon, had sent Mansen when it was learned that she was in need. The word was out about her, about Earth. If the war was truly over, even if there were stipulations and provisions, she couldn't believe that the Autobots would leave her to the whims of the worst of the worst. No, the Autobots were better than that. Such behavior was the sole propriety of Decepticons. Though Lockdown…

Memories of her sparklings, and her mates, came next. She thought of her young son, Sling Shot, and his sire, Crosshairs. Hot Rod, her eldest son, and his sire, Lockdown, both wanting to be on some adventure or another in the greatness of the universe. She gave a small smile.

Lastly, she thought of the many lives that were under her care when she was entrusted to be the communications officer for the Autobot stations on Earth. She was also leader of her own base, something which once gave her tremendous pride and provided her with lessons on the full scale of the war.

As was the case lately, happiness quickly turned sour. She wondered if she would ever see any of them again? Humans that survived the cyber-process were given up to Styx; their chances there, Electrum only knew, were slim. The Autobots she was privileged to work with – the DJD had gotten to them. She had to shake her helm with the immerging memories of the screams of their torture…

She stood. It was time she returned to her place of lingering at the base. Brushing herself off, turning on a ped, she then stalled for a bit. While the chances would be slim for her as well, if she made a break for it… perhaps she could get away, hide somewhere. She looked back over her shoulder, towards the mountains that now gleamed in metallic brilliance. The cyber-forming process results were still very shocking to her. It caught her breath for a moment; she knew the inevitable.

"We have her spark signature. There is no where she can go without our knowing it." Deadlock's shift over, he was called into the offices of the Decepticon Justice Division when it was reported that he was seen leaving with Electrum, how long they were absent, yet returning without her. Someone squealed and he was not too happy about that. He knew he was not fully trusted by the DJD, even if he was welcomed back by Megatron. While he could hold this over the six Decepticons present, he believed it wiser to not press his luck.

Tarn questioned Kaon, "do you have track of her?"

"It's coming up now." Kaon was immediately on the process of finding the wayward femme. "She's actually… in the base?" He was surprised. "I would never have expected it." He added in a near whisper to himself.

Except for Megatron and now apparently Deadlock, it was thought amongst the DJD members that Electrum would bolt the first chance she got. Tarn did not wish to leave Electrum's cell unguarded or unlocked, but he had his orders. He had tried to reason this with Megatron, but all attempts to get his point across failed. He would not have Electrum caged. She was to have free reign of the base and areas surrounding it.

There was a level of agitation in the air. "I will report this to Megatron," Tarn began, staring at Deadlock with a hint of disdain. "You may go." He shooed with a servo.

"Do you want us to intercept her?" Kaon looked towards Tarn.

Tarn took time before he spoke, "no." He then rose and left the room.

Megatron's view was turned towards the large windows that made up the far wall. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, standing tall, but silent. He made no attempt to speak to the two Decepticons that were in his presence.

The other two stood in silence as well, waiting. Tarn was one, and Deadlock was the other. Tarn stood close to Deadlock, as a prison warden would a prisoner. Deadlock was not a prisoner though; he stood straight with his arms at his side.

After a time, a female voice called, "she's here, my lord." All three mechs turned to see a small blue-silver Decepticon femme gently pull Electrum into view before she herself disappeared down the corridor.

Electrum slowly made her way forward. Her optics darted between the three mechs before her, reading the group as best she could. She knew nothing as to why she was called before the Decepticon leader, though she had an idea. She took the place on the other side of Deadlock, away from Tarn.

"Ah, Electrum." Megatron started. "Now that you're here we can settle this little affair."

Deadlock became tense at Megatron's tone of voice. "My Lord, you –"

Megatron interrupted him. "I heard enough from Tarn."

Tarn stood proud. He spoke in answer to Deadlock, "I have already told Lord Megatron everything about your escapade last night."

Deadlock looked towards the masked leader of the DJD. Even now, after the victory of victories, Tarn needed to cover his face – or wanted to. Deadlock frowned at him, "it was no escapade."

"You were dancing with our prisoner." Tarn stared at Electrum.

Deadlock wore his surprise on his face. Electrum snapped her head towards Tarn with a look of disdain.

"Enough." Megatron turned towards the three. He turned around and took a few steps towards them.

"I have been too lenient towards you, Electrum." He stood before her and with his index digit brought her face up to look at his. "You are no longer allowed to leave the base. Unauthorized leaving will result in indefinite detention." He gave her chin a squeeze and then let go with a strong push that caused her whole upper body to bend to the right. "At least," he added in almost a whisper, "as long as you carry your precious cargo." He gave a chuckle.

Electrum held back to the tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks. She didn't know what Megatron meant with his words. She placed a servo over her womb. Was it a threat against her baby? Electrum's resolve strengthened slightly as she bit her lower lip. Nothing would harm her child! Not if she had anything to say or do about it.

Megatron ignored Electrum; Tarn was possibly right, that she needed to be kept under tighter surveillance. He was sure that his words would reach the rest of the base, and heeded. He then moved on to Deadlock.

"Deadlock," he began. "I welcomed you back to the Decepticons with open arms. You were an important cog in numerous Decepticon victories." He paced a few feet away from his audience. "But," he turned to face the group again, "you are not without reproach." Megatron returned to Deadlock's side. "I am reassigning you. You will leave immediately."

Electrum came back to reality when she heard that Deadlock would leave immediately. Snapping her head towards Megatron and Deadlock, she gave a painful whine. "No! Why?"

Megatron deigned not to answer her. He left the three and almost strolled out of the room, nonchalantly giving no concern to the femme or the mechs.

Electrum just turned to watch him leave.

"My lady, you forget yourself!" Deadlock admonished her verbally and with a harsh glare before he to turned and left her side, with Tarn leaving right behind.

All Electrum could do was watch them leave.


	7. Abortion

A joyful Tarn made his way throughout the base, exclaiming the news to everybody that he came across, even the drones. Whiplash had sparked, and he was to be a sire. Most were cordial, happy for the couple; though, the news that Electrum was carrying also had made it's way around the base, and there were those who were confused.

"Tarn's the sire of Electrum's sparkling, yes?" Some were whispering. "No. Well, yes and no. Yes, he may be." Tarn dismissed the talk, though he heard it. Nothing was going to distract himself from his victory lap. Not even Electrum herself was going to keep him from his self-appointed round…

"Whiplash sparked?" Electrum looked up to the glass ceiling from her spot in the mall of the fortress. She had a pang of worry hit her gut as she watched the sky, but she dismissed it away. It came back. There was no connection that would make Whiplash's sparking any danger upon her. So why did she feel like there was reason to fear? "Too much information."

She stood from her spot on a bench in the mall of the fortress. She decided that she had enough of the sun, and the constant whispers around her. If it wasn't about the Autobot who was allowed the roam free, it was about her sparkling and who the possible sire was. She found it amazing how the news never got around how the sparkling came to be, how the Decepticons who were responsible forced her into her predicament.

When she reached the corridor that led back to her cell, she was grabbed, pulled to the side by her ponytail. With an exclamation of horror, she was jerked to the wall.

"So did you hear the news?" Kaon smiled his iconic wide smile.

Electrum rubbed the back of her helm, straightening herself. She slid against the wall back a bit when she saw herself before the DJD member. Without her usual hesitation, she mumbled, "do you always –"

"Oh sweet spark," Kaon trailed a digit from her abdomen up between her breasts to her neck, grabbing it. "You didn't answer the question." He barked.

Electrum stammered with the fact that Kaon not only held her by her neck, but also was lifting her off the ground. "Y-Yes."

Dropping her, but catching her arm before she could collapse to the floor, Kaon yanked the smaller femme by the arm into the center of the hallway, quickly making way down it but a separate path than to her cell.

"Where?" She tried to keep up with the mech, and she tried to pry herself away from his grasp on her arm. "Where are you taking me?" She needn't really have asked, as the corridor was dedicated to not only the med bay, but the science labs as well. "Why?" She was grunting every word.

As they passed the med bay, she wished to scream for Mansen; she could see him treating someone. She planted a servo upon the clear glass door and dragged it along, hoping he'd at least see her.

She became hysterical, as they turned the corner to a sealed double door at the dead end of the hall. It was the only door in this part of the building. Vos stood outside, casually waiting for them. "Why is he there?! What's going on?!" She pulled the opposite direction. "Mansen! Mansen!" She finally pulled herself free of Kaon's grasp, falling backwards onto her bottom. She kicked herself away.

Mansen came out into the hallway, running around the corner from the med bay. "Mansen!" Electrum cried as she flipped herself over and crawled to him. The fact that Mansen had come to her cries didn't seem to phase Kaon or move Vos in the slightest. The former turned around and with his usual hardened expression walked back to where she was. She grabbed one of Mansen's legs and sobbed.

"Sir," Mansen looked at the weeping femme and then to Kaon, who approached with no concern. "Please! She's in no condition to –" Mansen was ignored by the mech who unceremoniously pushed him out of the way and then proceeded to reach for Electrum. He tried to get up, but was unsuccessful, shot down by a bolt of electricity.

Electrum could only watch and scream; she screamed for Mansen who was unresponsive. Others started to come to the commotion, but they ignored her, once they saw who held her. She just stared as she was systematically ignored, realizing her fate as she was pulled back. The double doors opened and then slid shut in Electrum's face. She pounded on the door with both fists, and then collapsed to the ground, helm pressed against it.

Vos spoke Old Cybertronian, which Electrum did not know. Kaon mumbled something under his venting in response, but Electrum didn't hear it all either. For a nanosecond, she didn't care. The horror returned to her quickly, though.

She slowly pushed her helm away from the door with both hands and turned to see behind her. Surprisingly, the two Decepticons were not in her sight, having moved off to another part of the lab. Electrum looked to her left and her right around the lab before she deigned it okay to stand.

When on her peds, she saw the nothing too out of the ordinary for a laboratory. It saddened her to see a fully formed sparkling, obviously new born but dead, in a large glass tube. There were several other sparklings in various stages of development in similar glass tubes. The display made a line, from conception to birth – all dead. She blew a kiss in their honor, as a prayer to their sparks for the lives they never had.

Curiosity blossomed in her, and she began to look around the area a little bit more; there was a berth present and a data pad shelf behind it. Tools of various sizes were everywhere, but due to her ignorance of their usage, Electrum didn't seem too bothered. Even one huge tool loomed over the berth; it was a sharp rotary blade of some sort. She winced at it, but quickly moved on. A desk, more data pads shelves, nothing she hadn't seen in a medical bay before.

"Such a commotion." She heard Whiplash's voice come from the enclave. Electrum stepped closer to the wall to listen. "All we wish to do is talk to her."

She heard the members of the DJD snicker.

"Are you ready?" Tesarus spoke up. "She's waiting."

"Let her wait!" Electrum could barely see into a window on the side of the smaller room inside the lab; she observed Whiplash eating some energon chips. "I'm not done yet."

Whiplash was in form this morning, she thought. Indeed, she sounded more brazen than usual, and it was figured by Electrum that it was because she was with child now. Tarn undoubtedly would let her rule the roost more than usual, as if he ever tried to stop her before; at least, not in Electrum's presence.

Vos spoke in Old Cybertronian. He then made a move towards the window, and Electrum didn't duck out of sight in time. "She's listening." He spoke again.

The other bots moved in unison, including Whiplash who left her chips. They ganged up on Electrum, grabbing her and pulling her towards the berth she was inspecting just before.

She gave a bit of a shriek, and another grunt when she was thrown onto the berth. She saw the large looming blade, and shot up. Vos was tying her legs down with straps in which she tried to kick herself free.

"That's not necessary, is it Vos?" Tarn spoke. He had just entered the lab.

"But sweet spark, she was spying on us." Whiplash swayed her hips seductively as she walked up to her spark mate, taking his arm.

"And we have been keeping her waiting, haven't we?"

Electrum was surprised by Tarn's words. He was actually caring about her? She didn't believe it; something was up. "What is it you want?"

Tarn's optics were piercing, as always, and, dead set upon Electrum.

"We want you to abort the child." Tesarus blurted out. His impetuousness gained groans and looks from the others.

Electrum instantly felt the stab of tears. "My baby…" She placed a servo where her womb was.

"Oh come, come, Electrum," Whiplash spoke up, walking her way now with swaying hips and a seductive tone. "You mustn't want the child, knowing that one here is the father?" She put a digit to Electrum's dermas, in which Electrum immediately snapped her head away.

"My child!" She was repulsed by Whiplash's tricks.

"We'll make it painless!" Whiplash pleaded half-heartedly.

"No." She stated flatly. "Why my child? Why not yours?"

Whiplash flew into a rage, and if it weren't for Tarn, she would have attacked Electrum on the berth. "You bitch!"

"No!" Electrum gained some courage amongst the ones who had caused her so much pain, even though mentally she was breaking down presently, tears spilling over flushed cheeks. Now they wished to take away the product of their own actions, they wished to erase their own mistake by making the innocent pay. But that was how they were; they weren't just Decepticons, they were true sadists. She drew her legs up to her chin, in an act of protection.

As she broke down, the six others stood silent for a moment. It was true; they had hoped that she would have agreed. They were somewhat amazed in different degrees that she would be so adamant to keep a child bred under such circumstances. She was stronger than any of them imagined.

"Then let it be," Tarn broke the silence, and motioned with a servo.

Electrum grabbed and yanked off the berth by Kaon. "You got lucky today," he growled at her he once again pulled her along to the door. With another push, she was jolted through the door, it sliding behind her.

Alone in the corridor, she just stayed on the floor and cried. Awkwardly sitting up, she was acutely aware of her place as it hit her more than ever how alone she was.


End file.
